Wind in the Willows
by Marbleclaw
Summary: Willowpawgrows up in WindClan with a deputy and leader as a mother and father, life couldn't be better, but the snappy medicine cat Sunclaw spots a handsome young loner, Smoke, and he is whisked into Littlestar's guiding paws, and when Willowpaw soon realises that she loves Smokepaw, a deadly omen comes about once more, and they must save WindClan at the coast of one's life.


Wind in the Willows

Willowkit of WindClan has always been a perfectly normal kit, but when a strange young tom joins the Clan, a web of tangled secrets and mysteries block Willowkit's path and following the strength of StarClan, she and Smokepaw must save them all from a terrible fate that may destroy the cats as well as the Twolegs.

* * *

PROLOGUE

The tall grass was tinged with frosted dew, the late evening stars rising into the navy blue sky. A soaring raven crawed its good nights to the four Clans below and swooped down into a tree beyond ThunderClan's forest. Shadows were cast against the many rocks and twigs that lined the WindClan borders. A tall, obviously proud tom gazed upon his Clan from a gentle high ledge above the medicine den.

"If only all nights could be as beautiful as this one, calm and gentle," meowed the brown and white tom, his pale yellow eyes shimmering as he heard pawsteps below him. "Sunclaw," he meowed, greeting the pretty golden tabby, her odd markings lighting up the ever growing darkness.

"Littlestar, greetings," she purred quietly, dipping her head and flicking her ears as she looked back at the leader. Littlestar's yellow eyes shone of great wisdom, and all knew very much that Littlestar was one of the most handsome, wisest, kindest leaders in WindClan history. His gentle smile gave Sunclaw pride.

"Uncle, I received a message from StarClan," meowed Sunclaw, a bit worried about how Littlestar scowled. Littlestar never was a believer in StarClan, he thought it was tales for kits, however, StarClan still granted him nine lives and eternal wisdom.

"What is it Sunclaw?" Littlestar's voice sounded surprised, it was rarely his beautiful young niece Sunclaw called him her 'uncle.' The word sounded odd on his tongue, as a she-cat as splendid as her could be related to himself.

"All I saw was a willow tree, and then, smoke covered it, a sudden thunderstorm circling the willow tree with lightning and thunder strikes, but nothing happened, as the smoke grew stronger and more loyal to the willow and it banished them away. But a huge crow flapped its wings over the smoke, making it disappear, and then a willow tree grew longer, into a real weeping willow," finished the medicine cat quickly.

"I don't understand, none of those relate to anything, StarClan curse this omen," he growled bitterly. Sunclaw's eyes brimmed with shadows, disappointed in her uncle for non-believing.

Littlestar suddenly noticed a small young she-cat run to him with wide, fear-filled eyes. "Ashwhisker, are you alright?" Littlestar's compassion was quite strong for his mate, the young deputy. Ashwhisker panted and nodded, eyes wide.

"Crowstar and his warriors Pebbleeye and Ravenfur at the border, that fox-hearted ThunderClan leader launched an attack on WindClan at dawn,'" she hissed, lashing her tail and watching Sunclaw with bright eyes. Littlestar snarled out a warning and the Clan gathered below him.

"Those StarClan cursed fox-hearts of ThunderClan have declared way on us, that's right, at dawn tomorrow. We must be on watch," hissed the leader. "Sunclaw, Ravenpaw, stock up on herbs as fast as you can while this moonlight lasts," he meowed.

"Ashwhisker, Birdtail and Foxpelt, guard the camp," he ordered, and the three cats looked proudly at him. But Ashwhisker's eyes widened with fear, and she was itching to say something to Littlestar, something that would change his opinion on life forever, maybe even these StarClan blessed kits inside her were waiting for the perfect chance.

( meanwhile )

Sunclaw, followed by Ravenpaw, arrived at the small patch of fertile land where they grew herbs and collected damp sticks and placed them in hollow trees on the outer skirts of WindClan. The small black and white apprentice picked some nettle leaves and scooped up some poppy seeds as he looked at Sunclaw.

"Are you alright?" Ravenpaw's voice was like an echo of Sunclaw, frightening her. "I'm fine," she grumbled back. "Really, I thought you were talking to yourself," squeaked Ravenpaw as he ducked behind a raspberry bush as his mentor spun around angrily.

"My uncle is a fool, you know. He thinks he can not believe in StarClan. His wisdom is far beyond his age, but all his aching little heart desires is a perfect battle. He isn't trustworthy of others, isn't the most loving tom, is a coward and shows no justice to opposing Clans, suppose he may be a atheist, what would he believe in?'

Ravenpaw's eyes fluttered open as he pawed some more feverfew and lavender petals into a small leaf cup. "Sometimes, I wish he could see his own eyes and see how wise he looks, and won't I laugh," snapped the medicine cat, swiping some catnip and chickweed off the ground and placing it in her curled tail.

Ravenpaw nodded quietly, picking some more coltsfoot out of the ground, picking up dirt when he kept listening to the medicine cat grumble. "This is plenty, will you get some cobwebs as well?" Sunclaw's golden body slithered out of view, and Ravenpaw sighed, grabbing the silvery cobwebs from the dark sticks and racing back to camp.

( back in camp )

"Mossblaze, would you ever be so kind and grab me a blackbird?" Ashwhisker's gentle blue gaze made the young warrior, Ashwhisker's sister, run off to fetch the piece of prey. She glared at Littlestar as he leapt off Highrock. "Littlestar, I'm going to give this to you quick. I'm having your kits," she meowed, eyes shimmering as Littlestar took it in.

"What, a kit, or many kits? Have you consulted Sunclaw, maybe you should rest, um, go into the nursery?" Ashwhisker purred and nuzzled him. "I'll be fine. My sister Goldenleaf will be a temporary deputy for a few quarter moons, if you want to confirm it," meowed the deputy, thanking and licking Mossblaze as she gave the blackbird to Ashwhisker.

Sunclaw and Ravenpaw stormed back into camp, Sunclaw trying to not scream at Littlestar and avoid her apprentice. She chose a small frog to eat, a young warrior Amberdrop laughing. "You have a problem?" Amberdrop's smile faltered and she edged away from the grumpy she-cat.

"Sunclaw, it's almost moonhigh, we must be getting some sleep," meowed Ravenpaw, nudging the she-cat as she finished her second squirrel. "I know," she sighed. "I'll come shortly," she meowed again.

Ravenpaw nodded and left his mentor to gaze at the stars. "Lillyflight, I know as a medicine cat yourself, you loved another, but, you were the most beautiful she-cat I knew, and as my mother, won't you tell me something? This omen is nothing to Littlestar and Ashwhisker, please, give me a sign of your power to tell me," she meowed.

She prayed to see the starry outline of her former medicine cat and mother, but only darkness came, in huge leaps, and life remained a piece of prey, for now.


End file.
